1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical connector for connecting optical fibers.
2. Description of the Art
In a relay station of an optical communication system or the like, optical fiber cables are connected by means of optical connectors. Specifically, a relay station has an optical communication apparatus which is held on a rack. An optical fiber cable which is brought from behind the rack is bent near the rear plate of the optical communication apparatus, and then connected to the apparatus by means of an optical connector. More specifically, an optical connector of the optical fiber cable is connected to an optical connector of another optical fiber cable which the optical communication apparatus has.
When the optical fiber cable is bent, not only damage of the optical fiber cable but also optical transmission loss needs to be prevented. For this, the radius of curvature of a bent portion of the optical fiber cable needs to be kept 30 mm or more.
Thus, from the optical connector of the optical fiber cable extends a flexible protection boot, which surrounds the portion of the optical fiber cable which is adjacent to the optical connector, over a predetermined length. The protection boot prevents the optical fiber cable from being bent too much, so that the radius of curvature of the bent portion of the optical fiber cable is kept within the above-mentioned allowable range and damage of the optical fiber cable is prevented.
For the above reason, behind the rear plate of the optical communication apparatus, space of, for example, about 80 mm is kept to accommodate the optical connector and the protection boot.
An object of the present invention is to provide an optical connector which can reduce the above-mentioned space and prevent the optical transmission loss and damage by bending of an optical fiber cable.
In order to achieve the above object, an optical connector according to the present invention comprises: a housing having a front open end and a rear open end; a ferrule arranged in the housing on a front open end side of the housing, the optical fiber cable being connected with the ferrule at one end by means of an optical fiber of the cable and extending out of the housing through the rear open end; a holding assembly for holding the ferrule in the housing, the holding assembly including a stopper arranged in the housing on a rear open end side of the housing; and a protection boot adapted to surround the optical fiber cable over a predetermined length from the rear open end of the housing, the protection boot having a front end adapted to engaged with the stopper inside the housing, and having flexibility which restricts bending of the optical fiber cable to an allowable limit.